A Random Sampling

The other day my mother-in-law came by our house for a visit. After catching up with all of the kids (especially the one who was home from college for Spring Break) she happened to glance over at our kitchen table. It's a nice table. About eight feet long and made by my husband out of some gorgeous cherry wood. The kind the Waltons might have gathered around...only less careworn and with better chairs.

She held up her hands in front of her and said, "You know...this would make a great 'slice of life' photograph when, years from now, you were wondering what kind of stuff your family was into during this time."

I looked around and I saw that she was right. Instead of criticizing the layers of junk that people (we) seem to leave on the table, I saw fragments of the many facets of our life as it is/was during the second week of March in the year 2008. So tonight...I decided to document:

A bud vase fashioned from Texas clay by a local artisan. Freezer bag of pecans. Pamphlets accompanying the oldest son's electric shaver that he left behind. A notebook documenting the trips taken to feed/care for the neighbor's incontinent cats while they're out of town. Middle son's baseball jersey (one of many). Carl Sagan's Contact...being read by our youngest son. A brochure for a new local gym. This week's "New Yorker" magazine. A page from the local newspaper from TWO WEEKS AGO which features a picture and an article about a little boy who needs a foster home. I cannot take him in but wish that I could. Neither of us can bring ourselves to throw this thing away. A six-pack of Dublin Dr. Pepper...like they used to make it...with pure cane sugar instead of corn syrup. If you haven't tried it...you'll never know how it's really supposed to taste.

Antique OvenServe serving dish with lid. Bob Woodward's Plan of Attack. This month's Vanity Fair (just a corner showing) which features female comedians. Art catalogues from which I must order $1000 of supplies for camp by next week. Newspaper ads featuring trucks for sale. Middle son wants a truck. Brown table runner purchased at Target.

So...it's no big deal. Don't go cleaning your house or anything. Just pick up the camera and shoot. Then post the results. It's really quite revealing. And I think I speak for all of us when I say we ALL enjoy seeing how everyone really lives. But still...I challenge you to do this. I promise it will be fun.

Comments

[Cheri]

Good grief. You don't gotta ask me twice! This will fulfill another list requirement for NaBloPoMo! I'm on it.

And, wow, your husband made that table?

[Jenny, bloggess]

A freezer bad full of pecans and REAL Dr. Pepper.

You, my friend, are a real Texan.

[Di]

That's brilliant! If I wasn't so tired of memes, I would suggest that you start one. Tuesday Tabletop or something like that.

[claire]

I will definitely try to take a pic like this. I love when people show how they really live, not their super clean house. Houses are meant to be lived in, not merely looked at for their perfection.

[DebbieDoesLife]

"don't clean your house" - I will take your words and live by them all Spring Break.

[Janet]

This will be fun. No work involved. Our table is mostly covered with drawing and playdoh supplies. I'll try it tomorrow.

[Melissa]

That's terrific! Our table seems to be in a constant state of activity too.

[Jenn @ Juggling Life]

I fear my anti-clutter neuroses precludes me from being able to participate, but it is a cool idea. I love Vanity Fair magazine, and art supply catalogs too!

[BID]

First off I felt like I was playing I-Spy, only easier. Except for the jersey.

Secondly, I fear doing this, but I will participate.

Thirdly, somewhere in blogland there is a thing called corners of my house. And the key difference here is that those people neaten and tidy up first. I like the cluttered approach, it's much more revealing!
;)

[Prof. J.]

Cheri, Anastasia would be more of a "real Texan" if she had a six pack of Big Red.

[Jay]

Very cool. I'll overlook "Plan of Attack" by that hack. ;-)

I might have to do this one too. I'll resist the urge to "stage" the table so that I look cooler than I am. haha

[Elizabeth]

You've just given me the perfect excuse to not feel bad about being a "piler"! I'll just tell my husband I'm planning a "slice of life" photo post :)

[Beth]

What a great idea! My coffee table probably serves the same purpose your kitchen table does - I eat there, too. :) If I hadn't just cleaned it off, I'd give it a go.

I do love your kitchen table.

[clickmom]

You can tell someone is home from school sick because my kitchen table is covered with newspaper and markers right now. Also, he has domineered my dining room table and the entire room is now referred to by all members of the family " The LEGO room!"

PS Do you eat at your kitchen table too?

[carrie-the gremlin wrangler]

that's a pretty cool idea. Unfortunately I just got done giving the house a manic once over because I couldn't think any longer!

ps...I hope your left ovary didn't really explode after seeing The Cuteness.

[Nance]

Sigh. We empty-nester borderline neat-freaks can't really play along. We'll just be voyeurs and remember the days when we had Little Tykes basketball hoops in the living room and Ninja Turtle weapons stuck in the vacuum cleaner.

[Tootsie Farklepants]

I'll do this tomorrow! I've already cleaned up tonight. Unless you want to see a candle on my table.

[daysgoby]

Hmm...an interesting proposition!

[Mrs. G.]

The kitchen table is about the only thing I can keep clean. Now the coffee table...different story.

[Tink]

Wow, your table has a lot of cool stuff on it. Mine is currently covered in tissues, chocolate chip granola bar wrappers, and a couple of empty beer bottles. Not nearly as interesting...

[Ortizzle]

Do you really want to see a table covered with tests, quizzes, and my boring grad school books? lol. Great idea, I just don't know how much variety it would have since there are no kids living in this house, and, as I said, the table seems to be covered with piles and piles of the same stuff, except when I have to clear a space for the dinner plates.

[Candy]

I love this idea. And when my husband yells at me for the mess I can tell him it's for our time machine!

[All Adither]

I like this. The next time my creativity is MIA I'll give it a go.

[Spamboy]

When I was single, I used to always keep a 6-pack of Dublin DP on ice, in case any friends showed up. The change-of-address cards I sent out featured a coupon they could redeem for a bottle of that manna, if they took the trouble to come visit. :)

[LifeAsIKnowIt]

That's a great idea. So next time I look at my kitchen counter of clutter I should take a picture instead of getting annoyed...? Sounds good to me!